Eastern District of Virginia

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Newport News man today on charges of bank robbery, bank robbery with a dangerous weapon, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Tyrone K. Jefferson, 38, worked for a rental car company where he had access to rental cars and license plates owned by the company. Jefferson stole several license plates and a sedan from the company. From Feb. 4 to Feb. 26, 2025, Jefferson used the sedan to rob a credit union and two banks. In each robbery, Jefferson threw a bag to a teller and demanded that it be filled with money, with no dye or trackers. Jefferson brandished a firearm during two of the robberies. He also used the stolen vehicle to visit a Portsmouth casino after the robberies.

On Feb. 27, 2025, Newport News Police attempted to stop the stolen sedan, but the driver fled at a high rate of speed, abandoned the vehicle, and escaped on foot. Police located mail, court documents and other paperwork addressed to Jefferson in the vehicle.

On March 7, 2025, Jefferson robbed another credit union by brandishing a firearm and demanding that a teller fill a bag with money. Jefferson then fled on foot.

On March 27, 2025, police traced Jefferson to the same Portsmouth casino, to which he traveled in a rented vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, police recovered rental paperwork in Jefferson’s name, a stolen handgun, and an extended magazine.

Jefferson has five previous felony convictions, including for assault of a federal employee (2018 for macing a Navy police officer); carrying a concealed weapon (2008); possession of stolen property and hit and run (2008); grand larceny (2011); and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and eluding police (2006).

Jefferson faces a mandatory minimum of 21 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Henrico County Police Division and Newport News Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mack Coleman and Alyson C. Yates are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-53.

NORFOLK, Va. – Three conspirators from Hampton pled guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.

According to court documents, Katie Anne Keller, 44; Christopher Allen Lee Krall, 34; and David Henry Graham, 53, along with other co-conspirators, obtained checks issued by the U.S. Treasury intended for various residents of New York state without the knowledge or consent of the victims. Using fraudulent identification documents, Keller, Krall, and Graham opened bank accounts in the names on the Treasury checks. They would then deposit the checks, withdraw the funds, and share them among the co-conspirators.

From August 2023 to January 2024, the conspirators deposited or attempted to deposit more than 12 forged U.S. Treasury checks totaling approximately $3,600,177.

Keller was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 25, 2024, when she and Graham attempted to open a bank account using the PII and fraudulent identification of two victims. Keller continued the scheme after her arrest. In April 2025, Keller opened an account at a bank in Tennessee and deposited a $10,047 Treasury check. Keller also was on site at a bank in Alabama with co-conspirators who attempted a similar scheme in September 2025.

On October 28, 2025, the FBI searched Keller’s residence in Hampton and recovered approximately 25 sets of identity documents in the names of different individuals, packaged with credit cards, social security cards, and sometimes financial or other identification documents from 10 different states. The documents were packaged with approximately 18 apparent burner phones. When Graham was arrested, he was in possession of two different fraudulent identity documents.

Keller is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.

Krall is scheduled to be sentenced on AUG. 6 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.

Graham is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-115.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal judge convicted a Gum Spring man yesterday on charges of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), possession of CSAM, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission by a registered sex offender of a felony offense involving a minor.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Richard Scott Tyson, 57, was convicted in 2002 of rape involving a child, for which he received 99 years of imprisonment with 86 years suspended. Between 2021 and 2023, Tyson sexually exploited two minor victims.

Tyson met the first victim, identified as Minor Victim 1 or MV1, in 2021 and developed a relationship with MV1 and his family members. Tyson soon began taking MV1 on trips and paying for items such as video games, clothing, or activities on his behalf. MV1 then began staying overnight and on weekends at Tyson’s house. During a trip with MV1 to a trampoline park, MV1 met and befriended Tyson’s second victim, identified as Minor Victim 2 or MV2. Tyson communicated with both victims through Snapchat.

MV2 joined Tyson and MV1 during activities and trips to hotels, resorts, and amusement parks, for which Tyson paid. During these activities and trips, as well as at Tyson’s home, Tyson engaged in sexual relations with MV2 and took pictures of both minor victims while they were nude or mostly undressed and posed in sexualized positions in exchange for money.

Tyson faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 29. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case with assistance from the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shea M. Gibbons and Thomas A. Garnett are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-34.

This release was revised on April 30, 2026, to correct the headline.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Chantilly man was sentenced today to 27 years in prison following his conviction for sexual exploitation and coercion and enticement of minors to engage in illegal sexual activity.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between at least February 2022 and April 2023, Michael Logan Bourne, 55, used an anonymous Google account, lordromance2021, to sexually exploit at least six girls between the ages of 13 and 17, to whom he referred as his “slaves,” and persuaded them to “serve” and “please” him by engaging in sexually explicit conduct on live webcams. Bourne groomed the girls, inundating them with sexual messages, including sexually graphic pictures and a video of himself. He pressured the victims to reciprocate his sexual advances and to join him on video calls even when they expressed discomfort.  He also received child sexual abuse material from two of his victims. Bourne knew that several of his victims suffered from serious mental health issues, making them more susceptible to his coercion.

A federal judge convicted Bourne on Dec. 17, 2025.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Vanessa Strobbe prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-218.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man currently in prison for a federal firearms conviction was sentenced today to three years in prison for conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with major disaster benefits, making false statements, and bank fraud. This is the third federal felony conviction for Raymond Antoine Wyche, 34.

According to court documents, Wyche was sentenced on Jan. 17, 2017, to four years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.   

After completing his prison term for that conviction, Wyche was again incarcerated in 2020 at Western Tidewater Regional Jail for a violation of his federal supervised release. Wyche received $33,592 in response to an unemployment benefits claim application filed. The application falsely stated that he lost his job at a barbershop in Chesapeake as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that he was ready, willing, and- able to work. The claim was recertified weekly through September 2021, including while Wyche was incarcerated and after his release from custody while he was employed.

While in jail, Wyche also provided the personal identifying information of other inmates to a co-conspirator who used that information to file additional unemployment benefit claims during the COVID pandemic. In sum, the conspiracy resulted in six successful unemployment claims in the names of inmates for a total of $112,508 in unemployment benefits. Wyche and his co-conspirator kept most of the benefits, providing little or nothing to the inmates whose names and information were used in the claims. The conspiracy also involved fraudulent claims using stolen identities of non-inmates.

After his release from Western Tidewater while on supervised pretrial release, Wyche provided his personal information to another co-conspirator who used it to file a loan application through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was administered by the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest financing to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs for eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the pandemic. The application falsely stated that Wyche was the sole proprietor and employee of a landscaping business called “Wyche Services” with a gross annual income for 2020 of $98,740. A fraudulent IRS Form 1040, Schedule C, was attached as purported supporting documentation. In response to the application, on May 13, 2021, $20,570 was disbursed to Wyche’s credit union account.

In December 2021, while he remained on supervised pretrial release, Wyche deposited a counterfeit check purportedly made out to Wyche in the amount of $4,500 from the bank account of a Hampton Roads car dealership. Wyche attempted to deposit another counterfeit check for $2,000.

On July 18, 2022, Wyche again pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and on Dec. 12, 2022, was sentenced to seven years in prison. The three-year sentence imposed today will run consecutive to the sentence Wyche is currently serving.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and the Chesapeake Police Department investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-138, 2:22-cr-55, and 2:15-cr-16.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Colombian national residing in Virginia was sentenced today to eight years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, Jorge Antonio Escobar, 50, downloaded and saved images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of prepubescent minors. In September of 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into those sharing CSAM on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing network, which identified an IP address traced back to Escobar’s residence in Leesburg. Escobar admitted to using BitTorrent to search for images of young girls.

Escobar pleaded guilty to receipt of CSAM on Dec. 30, 2025.

HSI Washington, DC, investigated the case with assistance from the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-283.

A Colombian national residing in Virginia was sentenced today to eight years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, Jorge Antonio Escobar, 50, had downloaded and saved images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of prepubescent minors. In September of 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into those sharing CSAM on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing network, which identified an IP address traced back to Escobar’s residence in Leesburg, Virginia. Escobar admitted to using BitTorrent to search for images of young girls.

Escobar pleaded guilty to receipt of CSAM on Dec. 30, 2025.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.

The HSI D.C. Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Salvadoran national Moises Osvaldo Sorto-Iraeta, 31, was sentenced today to a year and four months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed following his conviction for an aggravated felony. Sorto-Iraeta remains subject to the prior order of removal.

According to court documents, on March 6, 2017, Moises Osvaldo Sorto-Iraeta, 31, was found guilty of unlawful bodily injury for participating in an assault outside a restaurant in Prince William County. Sorto-Iraeta was sentenced to five years in prison, but his sentence was suspended when he was removed from the United States on May 19, 2017, pursuant to a final order of removal.

After illegally reentering the United States, Sorto-Iraeta was arrested in Loudoun County on Dec. 30, 2023, for assault and battery, brandishing a weapon, possession of a weapon by a violent felon, and gun possession by an unlawful alien. On Feb. 7, 2024, he was convicted of assault and battery and brandishing a firearm. Three months after his release from prison, Sorto-Iraeta was arrested in Loudoun County on April 29, 2025, for possession of cocaine. He was sentenced on Oct. 10, 2025, to 90 days in prison.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Washington, D.C., investigated this case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Miguel Ortiz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony R. Roberts prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-319.

NORFOLK, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on June 4, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of 14.16 grams of methamphetamine and 1.18 grams of fentanyl from Donjuan Murphy, 23, of Hertford, in Virginia Beach. On June 18, 2024, in Chesapeake, law enforcement executed state warrants from North Carolina and Virginia. When law enforcement attempted to take Murphy into custody, he initially tried to escape by backing his vehicle into a law enforcement vehicle and refused to put the car in park and exit it. He eventually complied with commands and was taken into custody.

From Murphy’s vehicle, investigators recovered, among other items, 38.76 grams of fentanyl; 2.54 grams of methamphetamine; 80.55 grams of cocaine; 816.94 grams of marijuana; Oxycodone, Buprenorphine, and Naloxone; four firearms, including one equipped with an extended magazine and another that had been reported stolen; ammunition; and $9,246.

Murphy previously was convicted of multiple felonies, including convictions in North Carolina for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a felon. As a convicted felon, Murphy cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and Chesapeake Police Department investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and Amanda L. Cheney prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-34.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ordered Iseman & Associates LLC, a lobbying firm located in West Palm Beach, Florida, and its owner Vicki Iseman, to pay $408,730.44 after finding that they submitted fraudulent applications to obtain federally guaranteed loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

In March 2025, the United States filed a Complaint against Iseman & Associates and Iseman alleging that they had violated the False Claims Act (FCA) and Financial Institutions Reform Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) by submitting false documents and falsely certifying eligibility for two PPP loans. Businesses primarily engaged in lobbying or political activities were categorically ineligible to obtain PPP loans. According to the government’s complaint, Iseman & Associates and Iseman had submitted falsified tax documents and made false certifications as part of their PPP loan applications.

The District Court found that the United States had shown it was entitled to judgment on the FCA and FIRREA claims asserted against the defendants and, accordingly, awarded the United States summary judgment, and entered judgment that included treble damages and penalties under the FCA.

The outcome in this case was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of General Counsel, Litigation Unit, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Beerbower, assisted by Forensic Auditor Peter Melaragni.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 1:25-cv-450-MSN-LRV. 

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the coercion and enticement of two minors.

According to court documents, on March 7, 2020, Yahmir Deshawn Kawante Hamlet, 25, uploaded a video file with advertising links to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in exchange for payments.

On Dec. 6, 2023, FBI investigators searched Hamlet’s residence and seized seven electronic devices containing approximately 425 image files and 122 video files of CSAM, as well as MEGA and Dropbox links and multiple Telegram chats negotiating sales of CSAM. The CSAM files included infants and toddlers, masochism, and bestiality. The devices also included sexually explicit conversations between Hamlet and two minors. Hamlet paid the minors for sexually explicit images and videos.

After Hamlet’s arrest on May 1, 2025, the FBI identified additional CSAM, including 30 images and five videos.

The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-36.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on Aug. 8, 2024, law enforcement observed Tre’Vonte Jermel Hunter, 27, leave a residence with a camouflage backpack and enter a vehicle. At that time, Hunter was the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant. When officers stopped the vehicle, Hunter fled on foot. Officers pursued and ultimately apprehended Hunter.

Investigators recovered a handgun from the backpack. The handgun was loaded with a 30-round extended magazine, and investigators recovered an additional 17-round magazine. Hunter previously was convicted of, among other crimes, evading and eluding, hit and run, reckless driving, failure to appear, forgery of a bank note, disregarding law enforcement commands, driving on a suspended license, driving on a revoked license, driving without a license, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and carrying a concealed weapon. As a convicted felon, Hunter cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

The Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk Office; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division – Norfolk District Office; and the Hampton Police Division investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-58.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distribution and possession with the intent to distribute a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, from August to October 2024, law enforcement conducted a series of controlled transactions in which Jawara Tyrone Williams, 45, sold fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine at his residence in Petersburg. During one of those transactions, Williams possessed a handgun that had been reported stolen. Among other crimes, Williams previously was convicted for distributing cocaine. As a convicted felon, Williams cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. McGorman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-152.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted Paris Chappe'll Hudson, 35, of Manassas, yesterday on charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on June 12, 2025, Hudson and Khymarr Talib Cooper, 46, were arrested for their roles in a COVID-era unemployment insurance fraud scheme. When law enforcement arrived at the residence where the couple lived to arrest them, Hudson disclosed that she possessed a firearm. Investigators attained a warrant to search the residence and discovered additional firearms and ammunition as well as distribution amounts of marijuana, 161 street-pressed oxycodone pills, narcotics packaging material, two digital scales with narcotics residue, $4,107, a commercial money counter, two cellphones belonging to Cooper, and one cellphone belonging to Hudson.

Text messages between Cooper and Hudson on their phones confirmed Hudson knew of Cooper’s drug trafficking. Hudson was the sole lessee of the residence.

Hudson faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on July 17. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Hudson pled guilty to wire fraud relating to the unemployment scheme on August 5, 2025, and was sentenced on Jan. 21 to six months in prison. Cooper pled guilty to wire fraud relating to the unemployment scheme on Aug. 25, 2025, and was sentenced on Dec. 5, 2025, to one year and eight months in prison. Cooper pled guilty on March 30 to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 2.

The Prince William County Police Department; Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 4:26-cr-8 and 4:25-cr-32.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond drug trafficker was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 9, 2024, law enforcement was attempting to locate an individual who was wanted in Chesterfield County. When officers located the individual in Gilpin Court in Richmond, the individual was accompanied by Montrio Santos Neville, 40. When the pair was detained, an officer searched Neville and recovered a firearm, 6.8750 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine powder, and numerous tablets containing methamphetamine.

Neville previously was convicted of, among other crimes, forgery of a public record; malicious wounding for an incident in which he shot the victim four times; and possession with intent to distribute heroin. At the time Neville was arrested in this case, he had been released from prison just three months earlier for the heroin conviction and was on active probation. As a previously convicted felon, Neville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

The FBI’s Richmond Field Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-183.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Prince George man was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on March 15, 2024, responding to a report of a man looking into vehicles with a flashlight, Colonial Heights police officers located and spoke with Earnest Thomas, 34. As officers attempted to gather Thomas’ identifying information, Thomas fled. The officers apprehended Thomas after a brief pursuit, confirmed his identity, and determined that he had outstanding arrest warrants from Chesterfield, Petersburg, and Hopewell.

From Thomas’ vehicle, investigators recovered 28.62 grams of 93.7% pure methamphetamine, two digital scales, two ski masks, a handgun, a folded $5 bill containing 1.0685 grams of fentanyl, and a vile containing an additional 0.3957 grams of methamphetamine.

Thomas previously was convicted of, among other crimes, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a concealed weapon, and domestic assault and battery. As a convicted felon, Thomas cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-63.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, between at least March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, used a Snapchat account, which he had previously hacked and stolen from a minor, to coerce approximately 41 minor girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas directed the victims to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during live video calls.   

Thomas told victims he led a criminal organization and that as long as the victims did what he told them they would be safe. To coerce compliance, Thomas made such threats as hacking the victims’ accounts or harming them and their family members. Thomas was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas knew that the victim was in foster care.

On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with the victim, which he recorded and saved in his Snapchat account.  Police discovered the abuse of this victim after searching one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized from him three days while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim. Thomas’ phone was seized when police responded to the incident.

On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. With support from Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police searched Thomas’ residence in Woodbridge where investigators located a second phone containing dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including recordings of his sexual assaults of his two victims in Fairfax County.

Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-327.

A Virginia man pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, between at least March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, used a Snapchat account, which he had previously hacked and stolen from a minor, to coerce at least 40 minor girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas directed the victims to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during live video calls.   

Thomas told victims he led a criminal organization and that as long as the victims did what he told them they would be safe. To coerce compliance, Thomas made such threats as hacking the victims’ accounts or harming them and their family members. Thomas was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas knew that the victim was in foster care.

On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with the victim, which he recorded and saved in his Snapchat account.  Police discovered the abuse of this victim after searching one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized from him while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim. Thomas’ phone was seized when police responded to the incident.

“Thomas preyed on vulnerable victims across several states using social media Apps to expand his sprawling reach to abuse young girls and threaten harm to them and their families in order to obtain his disturbing goal — child sexual exploitation,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice will investigate, prosecute, and seek justice for victims of child sexual abuse.  Harm to America’s children has no place in our communities.”

On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. With support from Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police searched Thomas’ residence in Woodbridge where investigators located a second phone containing dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including recordings of his sexual assaults of his two victims in Fairfax County.

Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for money laundering and unlawful monetary transactions relating to the fraudulent receipt of funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in May 2020, Brian Renard Manley Jr., 39, sent an email containing information about his businesses to an individual in Georgia who created fake tax returns for the business and submitted a fraudulent PPP application. PPP was administered by the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest financing to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs for eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the pandemic.

As a result of the fraudulent PPP application, Brian Manley received $350,000, which he immediately transferred into a newly opened bank account for a different company. The next day, he forwarded an email to the same individual in Georgia from his co-defendant spouse, Lacole Manley, which contained information and data about her business.  Lacole Manley later received an additional $350,000 PPP loan after a fraudulent application was submitted in her name by the same individual in Georgia. The Manleys used the PPP funds to pay for various personal expenses, including travel to Orlando and Las Vegas as well as the purchase of a luxury vehicle.

Lacole Manley is expected to be sentenced on May 19.

The IRS Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office and the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony C. Mozzi and Clayton D. LaForge are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-56.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia brought seven new Project Safe Childhood cases during March while achieving seven convictions and eight substantial sentences, including a life sentence for a repeat offender.

Indictments

On March 3, a federal grand jury indicted David Brent Timberlake, 65, of Henrico, on charges of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and possession of CSAM. Case no. 3: 26-CR-26

On March 11, a federal grand jury indicted Joseph Downing Barnes Jr., 35, of Virginia Beach, on charges of production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. In 2016, Barnes was convicted of receiving CSAM. Case no. 2:26-CR-29

On March 11, a federal grand jury indicted Tucker Lee Martin, 31, of Norfolk, on charges of production of CSAM, attempted production of CSAM, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Case no. 2: 26-CR-32

Charges

Nicolas Antonio Lainez, 19, of Hawaii, was charged on March 12 by criminal complaint with production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. Lainez was living with a family on Fort Eustis when he allegedly recorded himself sexually exploiting a six-year-old victim. Case no. 4:26-MJ-15

Pleas

Bahamian national and illegal alien Rian Wayne Johnson, 38, possessed on his cellphone CSAM depicting his sexual exploitation of an 11-year-old child. Johnson pled guilty on March 3 to sexual exploitation of a child. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-59

Stephen Chadwick Howell, 26, of Arlington, sexually exploited a 15-year-old victim and produced multiple sexually explicit videos and images of the abuse, which he later distributed. On May 7, 2025, as law enforcement executed a search warrant at Howell’s residence, Howell urinated on his laptop in an attempt to prevent the FBI from accessing its contents. On March 4, Howell pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and destruction of property to prevent seizure. Howell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Case no. 1:25-CR-235

On several occasions from February 2025 to March 2025, Mexican national and illegal alien Samuel Flores De Dios sexually abused a 12-year-old victim and recorded the abuse in his apartment in Fredericksburg. On March 6, Flores De Dios pled guilty to production of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 3:25-CR-158

In June 2024, John Joseph Chanel, 37, of Sterling, uploaded and then requested and received CSAM   via an Internet platform. Chanel possessed 38 videos and 12 images of CSAM. On March 13, Chanel pled guilty to receipt of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case no. 1:26-CR-44

Kemp Jermaine Nelson, 33, of Newport News, filmed himself having sex with a 15-year-old victim who was a runaway and posted a video of the encounter on social media. On March 17, Nelson pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce CSAM. Nelson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-68

Alex Tyler Buenaga, 32, of Suffolk, a former Newport News firefighter, recorded himself sexually abusing a three-month-old infant over 90 times and, on at least one occasion, recorded himself blowing methamphetamine smoke in the infant’s face. Buenaga pled guilty on March 25 to production of CSAM and coercion of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life plus 60 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 22. Case No. 2:25-CR-31

On Oct. 1, 2025, law enforcement searched the Arlington residence of Patrick Wanamaker, 35. Investigators found CSAM on Wanamaker’s cellphone and laptop. Wanamaker also emailed to himself several Mega links that contained 279 images and 777 videos of CSAM, including images and videos of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. On March 25, Wanamaker pled guilty to receipt of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case no. 1:26-CR-53

Sentencing

On June 11, 2024, FBI agents searched the Norfolk residence of Douglas Edward Steele, Jr., 41. On his electronic devices, investigators found thousands of videos and images of CSAM. Steele estimated that he probably had approximately 5,000 stored CSAM files. On Nov. 24, 2025, Steele pled guilty to receipt and possession of CSAM. On March 5, Steele was sentenced to six years in prison. Case no. 2:25-CR-111

On March 31, 2015, David Christopher Schaefer, 38, was convicted of possession of CSAM and was sentenced to over eight years in prison and a life term of supervised release. In 2025, a probation officer searched Schaefer’s residence and located nine unauthorized or unreported devices that Schaefer used to access, view, download, and exchange CSAM. Schaefer was attributed with over 25,000 CSAM images. On March 5, Schaefer was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-51

Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Cory Richard Hambley, 43, worked as a program analyst for the Missile Defense Agency and held a Top Secret security clearance. In November 2022, Hambley contacted his former girlfriend and encouraged her to provide CSAM depicting her abusing two minor children, ages five and nine, which she did. On March 11, Hambley was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The former girlfriend, Grace Elizabeth Paradis, 43, of Virginia Beach, pled guilty on Oct. 23, 2025, to conspiring to produce CSAM. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 2:25-CR-44

On Nov. 5, 2013, Nicholas Wayne Hanlon, 40,  was convicted in the District of Columbia for receipt of CSAM and attempting to meet with a purported 12-year-old girl for sex. Following his release from prison, from November 2020 through July 2024, Hanlon used SnapChat and Instagram to contact and request CSAM from at least seven minors across multiple states. Investigators found approximately 150 child pornography images and 20 child pornography videos depicting Hanlon’s victims on his cellphone and numerous additional videos and images in his SnapChat and Instagram accounts. On March 11, in the Eastern District of Virginia, Hanlon was sentenced to life in prison. Case no. 1:25-CR-151

Skylar James Duvall, 24, made arrangements with the guardian of a minor, including a determined amount of time and payment to the guardian, for certain sex acts to be committed against the victim. On Jan. 15, 2023, Duvall recorded a live stream of the abuse. On Duvall’s electronic devices, investigators found additional CSAM, including over 500 images and 700 videos, as well as thousands of files of potential CSAM and CGI/animated child exploitive videos and images. On March 12, Duvall was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-25

William Michael Webb, 41, of Chesapeake, used the BitTorrent application to download CSAM to his electronic devices, on which he possessed over 8,000 images and 800 videos of CSAM, as well as over 3,300 images of child erotica. Webb pled guilty on Sept. 25, 2025, to receipt of CSAM. He was sentenced on March 13 to five years in prison. Case no. 2:24-CR-102

Devin Sinclair Buries, 49, shared his vast CSAM collection with other users on BitTorrent. Buries possessed over 200 videos and over 19,000 images of CSAM. After his arrest, Buries fled to Ukraine. He was returned to the United States and arrested on Sept. 22, 2025, and pled guilty on Dec. 18, 2025. Buries was sentenced on March 18 to 10 years in prison. Case no. 1:24-CR-252

Michael J. Machonis , 30, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and Asia Tamara Billups, 20, of Gloucester, Virginia, met online and discussed minors and the exchange of CSAM. On May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, Billups used a cellphone to produce four sexually explicit videos of a three-year-old toddler and a four-month-old infant. Billups transmitted the videos to Machonis. Billups pled guilty on April 14, 2025, and was sentenced on Sept. 19, 2025, to 15 years in prison. Machonis pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2025, and was sentenced on March 19 to 17 years in prison. Case no. 4:24-CR-70

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Indictments and criminal complaints are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A King George woman pled guilty today to wire fraud for submitting timecards for the same hours at multiple government jobs.

According to court documents, from May 2022 through at least in or around April 2025, Nehemie Almonor, 41, electronically submitted timecards certifying that she had performed full-time work during overlapping hours for multiple entities, including a private company, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Almonor commonly submitted timecards for full-time work at three positions simultaneously, attesting to having worked 120 hours or more in single 40-hour periods.

Almonor, a human resources specialist, would commonly keep at least three work laptops open next to each other to falsely represent to her employers that she was online and working full-time solely for each of them. Over the course of being employed by at least three full-time positions simultaneously, TSA received multiple complaints that Almonor was commonly unreachable during the hours she was certifying on her timecards. While employed in various full-time telework positions at once, Almonor applied to other government agencies claiming to be unemployed and therefore available to start immediately. Almonor also claimed full-time work while on military orders with the U.S Air Force at the same time she claimed full-time work for three other entities.     

Almonor collectively defrauded her employers of at least $291,905.

Almonor is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Transportation Security Administration, Office of Law Enforcement/Investigations investigated this case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Drucker is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-45.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal judge convicted Brehon Kanell Davis, 44, of Norfolk, today on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin.  Davis was further convicted on two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least April 2021 to December 2023, Davis’ co-conspirators procured cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and parafluorofentanyl from out-of-state sources and had it shipped in wholesale quantities to Virginia. Davis and others then received the drugs for further distribution in Norfolk. Davis and his fellow distributors used internet payment services, such as Cash App, to pay for the narcotics.

Davis faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on July 28. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Norfolk Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Cournoyer are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Marek and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Stolle and Marc W. West assisted in the prosecution.

This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-53.

RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond men and a woman from Colonial Heights are the latest defendants sentenced to prison for their roles in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Richmond Police Department.

According to court documents, Timothy Keon Cousins, 40, led a cocaine distribution conspiracy based in Southwood Apartments in Richmond. Cousins was the source of cocaine for other members of the conspiracy, who then returned proceeds to Cousins.

From Aug. 23, 2024, through July 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted a series of seven controlled buys during which Cousins sold cocaine. Cousins’ co-conspirators Aiyanah Keturah Holloway, 25, and Dequan Duane Evans, 27, participated in some of those transactions. Evans sold cocaine during separate transactions, during one of which Evans used a juvenile to distribute the cocaine to and receive payment from the buyer.

On Aug. 20, 2025, investigators searched Cousins’ residence and seized four firearms, approximately 173 cartridges of ammunition, and two scales with suspected drug residue.

On Oct. 23, 2025, Cousins pled guilty to distribution of cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. On March 31, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

On Oct. 23, 2025, Holloway pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. She was sentenced today to five years in prison.

On Nov. 13, 2025, Evans pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, employing minors in drug trafficking, and distribution of cocaine. Evans was sentenced on March 23 to six years in prison.

During the same investigation, law enforcement identified Jamale Raquon Kelly, 26; Atio Terrain Walton, 22; and Davante Aandrell Jefferson, 20.

On March 21, 2025, Kelly was arrested with 5.81 grams of cocaine, $635, and a digital scale. Kelly pled guilty on October 23, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on March 26 to one year and six months in prison.

On July 10, 2025, Walton was arrested in possession of 5.24 grams of cocaine. On March 20, Walton pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21 and faces up to 20 years in prison.

On Sept. 13, 2025, Jefferson committed an armed robbery and carjacking and was arrested on Sept. 30, 2025. On Feb. 19, Jefferson pled guilty to carjacking and use, carry, brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16 and faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-131.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Jamaican national was sentenced today to six years in prison for his role in an international cocaine trafficking conspiracy investigated as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative.

According to court documents, since at least early 2022, Jason Kristian Duncker, 54, conspired with others in the United States and Mexico to traffic multi-kilogram loads of cocaine and collect the proceeds to be sent to co-conspirators in Mexico. In all, Duncker trafficked between 75 and 100 kilograms of cocaine in 2021 and 2022.

On July 22, 2022, Duncker coordinated a bulk cash pickup of cocaine-trafficking proceeds in Chesapeake, after which law enforcement conducted a traffic stops. Investigators searched Duncker’s vehicle and recovered $250,004 destined for Mexico.

After his arrest, Duncker fled to Mexico. On Oct. 2, 2025, Mexican law enforcement, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), located Duncker and arrested him in General Teran, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Mexican immigration authorities transported Duncker to Laredo, Texas, where he was turned over to U.S. law enforcement.

Duncker pled guilty on Dec. 22, 2025, to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute cocaine; distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.

The DEA’s Washington Division investigated this case with assistance from USMS.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson, former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Butler, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Stolle prosecuted the case.

The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-24.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman pled guilty today to wire fraud after misusing the financial information of her former employer, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to court documents, Courtney Melissa Hruska, 40, was employed on the member’s staff from August 2015 to January 2022. To fulfill part of Hruska’s official duties and responsibilities, the member entrusted Hruska with the member’s personal credit card and bank account information. On Jan. 30, 2022, Hruska left the office for a new position with a federal agency.

Without authorization, Hruska retained the member’s personal credit card and bank account information. Between Aug. 19, 2023, and July 30, 2024, Hruska used the member’s bank account information to make payments towards the balance of Hruska’s own personal credit card bills on 10 separate occasions. The member did not use electronic banking and did not receive immediate alerts from the bank. Because more than a year had lapsed between Hruska’s first fraudulent transaction and the member’s discovery of the theft, the member recovered less than nine percent of the stolen funds in fraud compensation.

In total, Hruska caused a loss to the Representative of at least $22,865.07.

Hruska is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General investigated this case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Drucker is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-57.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man pled guilty on March 25 to production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and coercion of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.

According to court documents, beginning in October 2024, Alex Tyler Buenaga, 32, began sexually assaulting a three-month-old infant, filming the abuse, and distributing the resultant CSAM online. Buenaga invited others, including Ryan Wade Johnston, 45, of Virginia Beach, to his residence to participate in the sexual abuse and smoke methamphetamine. Buenaga, a former Newport News firefighter, recorded himself sexually abusing the infant over 90 times and on at least one occasion, recorded himself blowing methamphetamine smoke in the infant’s face.

On Jan. 24, 2025, in response to an emergency tip that a user of the Telegram instant messaging application was producing and distributing CSAM, agents with the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force located and proceeded to Buenaga’s residence. Buenaga and Johnston were arrested before they could inflict additional abuse on the infant.

Buenaga is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life plus 60 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Johnston is charged with production of CSAM, receipt of CSAM, coercion and enticement of a minor, and possession of CSAM. A bench trial for Johnston is scheduled for June 15.

The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-31.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man today on charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises to distribute cocaine fentanyl, marijuana, and suboxone; possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 18, 2025, law enforcement conducting a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation searched the residence of Jamar Edward Gay, 36, in Norfolk. During the search, investigators located a container with crack cocaine, powder cocaine, fentanyl, and suboxone strips in the kitchen. Inside the bedroom, investigators found a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), rendering the firearm capable of automatic fire. Investigators also recovered two other MCDs, marijuana, and Gay’s driver’s license, debit card, and United States Marine Corp identification. Investigators found another firearm in the living room.

Gay has previous convictions for, among other crimes, unlawful wounding in March 2018 and malicious wounding in August 2022. As a previously convicted felon, Gay cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Gay faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on Aug. 2. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

On March 18, a federal jury convicted James Edward Sweat on charges of using a drug involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Sweat faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 14.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Luke Bresnahan are prosecuting the case.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division; and the Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk office investigated this case with assistance from the Chesapeake Police Department and the Norfolk Police Department. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States.

This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-5.

RICHMOND, Va. – A North Chesterfield man was sentenced today to four years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, from Oct. 24, 2021, to May 5, 2025, Joshua Lee, 28, was employed as a mail processing clerk at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Richmond Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC). From around July 2023 to May 2025, Lee searched for mail likely to contain gift cards, checks, or cash, and secretly moved that mail to other parts of the RPDC to hide it with his personal belongings. He would then remove the stolen mail from the RPDC during his breaks and at the end of his shifts. Lee would then notify his co-conspirators that he had stolen checks available for sale, knowing that his co-conspirators intended to fraudulently cash or deposit them.

During the conspiracy, Lee stole at least $1,581,953.59 in checks transiting through the RPDC.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-157.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a dual Lebanese-Syrian national today on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization after a five day trial.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Antoine Kassis, 59, is a Lebanon-based drug trafficker who used his high-level access to the Syrian government under the Assad regime to traffic cocaine and weapons. Kassis laundered the proceeds of his drug trafficking through the organization of a Colombian co-conspirator. Even after the fall of the Assad regime, Kassis had access to weapons previously provided to the Assad regime by foreign governments, including Russia and Iran.

Since April 2024, Kassis and co-conspirators, who were based in Colombia and Mexico, agreed to supply military-grade weapons diverted from the Assad regime in Syria to the National Liberation Army (ELN), in exchange for hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. The ELN is a terrorist group based in Colombia dedicated to the violent overthrow of the democratically elected Government of Colombia. The U.S. Secretary of State designated the ELN as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization.

Kassis stated that he was a cousin of former Syrian President Beshar Al-Assad, and that he was working directly with General Maher Al-Assad, the brother of the former Syrian President, and other top military officials in Syria on the deal. Kassis reportedly paid the government $10,000 per kilogram of cocaine imported through the Port of Latakia. Other evidence at trial supported that the Assad regime raised revenue through charging a checkpoint tax on illicit substances passing through its territory, as well as through the manufacture and distribution of Captagon, a Schedule I controlled substance.

Kassis traveled from Lebanon to Kenya to meet a weapons inspector from the ELN, then signed a contract to import a shipping container full of fruit from Colombia to the Port of Latakia, Syria, intending that the container would contain 500 kilograms of cocaine. Kassis intended to oversee the distribution of the cocaine in the Middle East while his co-conspirators would launder the proceeds on his behalf. Evidence at trial demonstrated that his co-conspirators moved nearly $100,000,000 in less than 18 months, and did so for organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Hamas, and others.

Kassis faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 2. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Kristin S. Starr are prosecuting the case.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated the case with assistance from Bogota Country Office; Cartagena Resident Office; Accra Country Office; Rabat Country Office; Nairobi Country Office; Amman Country Office; Istanbul Country Office; Panama City Country Office; Mexico City Country Office; and Madrid Country Office.

The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with Kenyan authorities to secure the arrest and May 2025 extradition from Kenya of Kassis. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Colombia’s Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission and Ghana Police Service, Morocco’s General Directorate for National Security, and Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations also provided significant assistance.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-51.

RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond men were sentenced to prison for the armed robberies of two Richmond vape shops.

According to court documents, on March 2, 2025, Koriyon Demantra Weaver, 19, and Calvin Shawn Johnson, 43, and a juvenile, entered a vape shop on Semmes Avenue, all armed and wearing masks and gloves. Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile robbed the store of cash and store merchandise. The robbers struck two victims inside the store over the head with firearms. Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile then fled from the store in a large SUV.

On March 9, 2025, Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile robbed a vape shop on Hull Street Road. They zip tied three employees, held them at gunpoint on the ground, and took cash and cellphones. Weaver struck one of the victims on the head with a firearm. After robbing the victims, the robbers removed a cash register and fled. Richmond Police (RPD) conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle and took all three robbers into custody without incident.

A subsequent investigation revealed that Weaver also participated in a previous armed robbery of the Semmes Avenue vape shop on Feb. 12, 2025.

Weaver pled guilty on Aug. 20, 2025, to two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced on March 19 to 18 years in prison

Johnson pled guilty on Dec. 10, 2025, to Hobbs Act robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced on March 12 to 19 years in prison.

The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and RPD investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-96.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distribution of cocaine and using a firearm in a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, from Jan. 28, 2025, to Feb. 13, 2025, Dyron Eugene Holloway, 36, sold cocaine during three transactions in Virginia Beach and another transaction in Norfolk. During the Norfolk transaction, Holloway also sold a handgun in addition to over 27 grams of cocaine.

During a search of Holloways vehicle, investigators recovered additional cocaine, marijuana, and a digital scale. Investigators also searched Holloway’s hotel room and recovered additional cocaine, another firearm, a firearm scope, and a magazine with 29 rounds of ammunition.

Among other previous convictions, Holloway was convicted in 2012 for assault and battery on law enforcement and in 2024 for possession of a firearm with a schedule I or II drug. As a convicted felon, Holloway cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Virginia Beach Police Department investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Bresnahan prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-76.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Peter Dimitrov Mirchev appeared in federal court today following his extradition from Spain to face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess firearms, including machineguns and destructive devices, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Kenyan national Elisha Odhiambo Asumo was extradited from Morrocco to the United States on March 11 and appeared in U.S. federal court on March 12.

As alleged in the indictment, since at least September 2022, Mirchev, Asumo, Tanzanian national Subiro Osmund Mwapinga, and Ugandan national Michael Katungi Mpweire conspired to illegally supply military-grade weaponry to Mexican drug cartels, and in particular, the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations. The weaponry included machineguns, rocket launchers, grenades, night vision equipment, sniper rifles, anti-personnel mines, and anti-aircraft weapons.

The defendants allegedly believed that the CJNG intended to use these weapons in furtherance of the illegal trafficking of large shipments of cocaine into the United States. On Feb. 20, 2025, the CJNG was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. Arms sales to transnational criminal organizations like the CJNG are prohibited by virtually every country.

In a series of meetings with individuals claiming to represent the CJNG, Mirchev allegedly agreed to arrange, coordinate, and participate in illegal arms transactions while avoiding detection by international and U.S. law enforcement. Mirchev allegedly recruited Asumo to corruptly obtain an End-User Certificate (EUC) from a nation that would falsely claim a different end-user for the weapons. Asumo and Mwapinga allegedly obtained an EUC from the United Republic of Tanzania authorizing the importation of AK-47s. As a test shipment, Mirchev and others then exported 50 AK-47 automatic assault rifles and accompanying magazines and ammunition from Bulgaria, using the EUC provided by Asumo and Mwapinga, and intending that the weapons were actually received by the CJNG.

The defendants allegedly continued to conspire to supply drug cartels with even more weaponry, potentially including surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft drones, and the ZU-23 anti-aircraft weapon system. Mirchev allegedly created a list of weaponry for the CJNG totaling approximately 53.7 million Euros (approximately $58 million U.S.). Asumo and Mwapinga allegedly agreed to again provide arms control documents designed to obscure that these weapons were intended for the CJNG.

According to court records, Mirchev was previously implicated in supplying arms to Viktor Bout,  who was convicted at trial of conspiring to kill U.S. nationals, conspiring to kill U.S. officers and employees, conspiring to acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles; and conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization in case 1:08-cr-365 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Mirchev was arrested by Spanish authorities in Madrid on April 8. Asumo was arrested by Moroccan authorities in Casablanca on April 8. Mwapinga was arrested by Ghanaian authorities in Accra on April 8 and was extradited to the United States on July 25. Mpweire remains at large. If convicted, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division - Bilateral Investigations Unit. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing extraditions of Mirchev, Mwapinga, and Asumo, working in cooperation with the DEA Attaché to U.S. Embassy Accra and key partners, including the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice of Ghana, the Ghana Police Service, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission, the Ministry of Justice of Spain, the Spanish Guardia Civil, and the Government of Morocco, including the Moroccan Direction Générale de la Surete National (DGSN- National Police), and the Moroccan Direction Générale de la Surveillance du Territoire (DGST).

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Edgardo J. Rodriguez are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-CR-102.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Indictment:

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A New Jersey man and a Virginia woman were sentenced to prison for their roles in the exploitation and abuse of two children to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, in early April 2024, Michael J. Machonis, 30, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and Asia Tamara Billups, 20, of Gloucester, Virginia, met online. They originally shared sexually explicit content of themselves with each other and engaged in sexually explicit conversations. Those sexually explicit conversations eventually led to the discussion of minors and the exchange of CSAM.

On May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, Billups used a cellphone to produce four sexually explicit videos of a three-year-old toddler and a four-month-old infant. Billups transmitted the videos to Machonis.

Billups pled guilty on April 14, 2025, to two counts of production of CSAM and one count of distribution of CSAM. She was sentenced on Sept. 19, 2025, to 15 years in prison.

Machonis pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2025, to two counts of coercion and enticement and one count of receipt of CSAM. He was sentenced today to 17 years in prison.

The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Somerset County (New Jersey) Prosecutor’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-70.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man yesterday on charges of using a drug involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 18, 2025, law enforcement searched the Norfolk residence of James Edward Sweat, 40. Agents located two firearms, including a shotgun and a handgun, and six ammunition magazines, including a 100-round drum magazine. Agents also found three separate kits to manufacture drugs, 14.3 grams of crack cocaine, fentanyl packaged for sale, and nine types of ammunition.

Sweat was previously convicted of abduction, two counts of robbery, and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. As a convicted felon, Sweat cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Sweat faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 14. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case with assistance from the Chesapeake Police Department and Norfolk Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Megan M. Montoya are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-5.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Falls Church man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, Devin Sinclair Buries, 49, shared his CSAM collection with other users on BitTorrent. On Nov. 15, 2023, law enforcement searched Buries’ residence and seized a desktop computer and Buries’ cellphone. Buries built the computer, which contained six hard drives. One was the operating hard drive and the other five contained CSAM. Buries had over 200 videos and over 19,000 images of CSAM.

After his arrest, Buries fled to Ukraine. He was returned to the United States and arrested on Sept. 22, 2025, to face federal charges. Buries pled guilty on Dec. 18, 2025.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Fairfax County Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Ukraine to secure Buries’ arrest and September 2025 extradition from Ukraine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-252.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An alleged cocaine trafficker from Uruguay made an initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria today on charges relating to his alleged role in a money laundering conspiracy.

As alleged in court documents, Uruguayan national Sebastian Enrique Marset Cabrera, 34, is the leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine, including as many as 10 tons at a time, from South America typically to Europe. The Marset drug trafficking organization allegedly traffics cocaine in Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, and elsewhere.

Marset’s close associate, Federico Ezequiel Santoro Vassallo, aka Capitan, was a Paraguay-based transnational money launderer for drug-trafficking organizations and facilitated the movement of millions of dollars of drug proceeds from various countries in Europe to South America and elsewhere. Santoro and his co-conspirators arranged for the collection of narcotics proceeds and utilized couriers and tokens to covertly deliver bulk illicit currency, typically in euros. Santoro’s co-conspirators specialized in placing the illicit currency into the global banking system. He then would direct the movement of the funds internationally, usually via bank wire transfer. Santoro typically directed that the funds be delivered in U.S. dollars and a correspondent bank in the United States would facilitate the transaction.

Santoro and, allegedly, Marset threatened violence to protect their drug-trafficking and money laundering activities.

In January 2021, Marset allegedly was owed more than €17 million from the proceeds of a single shipment of cocaine. Santoro arranged the collection and laundering of at least €5 million of those funds, the vast majority of which was laundered using the U.S. banking system.

Santoro pled guilty on May 21, 2025, and was sentenced on July 23, 2025, to 15 years in prison.

If convicted, Marset faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Catherine Rosenberg are prosecuting the case.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated this case. Significant assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Embassy in Bolivia, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Bolivian Minister of Government, Bolivian National Police National Intelligence Unit, DEA New York Task Force, DEA Airwing, DEA Country Offices in South America including Lima, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Asunción, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and Europol.

In coordination with the Department of Justice, the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced in May 2025 a reward of up to $2 million under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) for information leading to Marset’s arrest and/or conviction. This was in addition to a $100,000 reward in Bolivia announced in 2023.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-143.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Attachments

Kenya Mcchell Chapman, 32, of Smithfield, Virginia, appeared in federal court today and was charged by criminal complaint with dealing in firearms without a license in connection with the March 12 shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU), and with three counts of making false statements during purchases of firearms. View complaint here. View affidavit here.

“The Biden Department of Justice declined to prosecute this man and let him off easy with a warning,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Left-wing soft-on-crime policies cost lives — but this Department of Justice doesn’t tolerate crime, we punish it.”

“Chapman allegedly stole a firearm and illegally sold it to a convicted terrorist, who murdered a decorated American veteran, and he will finally face the full weight of justice,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated ATF and FBI agents, in partnership with state and local law enforcement officers, we have arrested and charged this safety threat and removed him from the community.”

“If you steal firearms, lie on federal forms, and put weapons in the hands of convicted terrorists, this FBI will find you,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “I want to thank our Norfolk Field Office and partners who continue to work 24/7 to bring to justice those responsible for yesterday’s attack. In the meantime, we continue to keep the victims, their families, and the entire Old Dominion community in our prayers.”

On March 12, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, committed a shooting at ODU in Norfolk during an Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corp (ROTC) class, killing one victim and wounding two more. Today, law enforcement searched Chapman’s residence and located ammunition consistent with the firearm recovered from the ODU shooting. Chapman allegedly stole the firearm from a vehicle in Newport News one year before the ODU shooting and sold it to Jalloh days before the ODU shooting.

Jalloh was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia in 2016 of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. As a previously convicted felon, Jalloh could not legally purchase or possess firearms or ammunition.

In addition, according to court documents, in 2021, Chapman allegedly purchased three firearms that were recovered from crime scenes shortly afterward. Two were recovered from the scene of a homicide and another recovered from a drunk in public incident.

If convicted, Chapman faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division are investigating this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke Bresnahan and Rebecca Gantt for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

NORFOLK, Va. – Kenya Mcchell Chapman, 32, of Smithfield, appeared in federal court today and was charged by criminal complaint with dealing in firearms without a license in connection with the March 12 shooting at Old Dominion University, and with three counts of making false statements during purchases of firearms. View complaint here. View affidavit here.

On March 12, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, committed a shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk during an Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corp (ROTC) class, killing one victim and wounding two more. Today, law enforcement searched Chapman’s residence and located ammunition consistent with the firearm recovered from the ODU shooting. Chapman allegedly stole the firearm from a vehicle in Newport News one year before the ODU shooting and sold it to Jalloh days before the ODU shooting.

Jalloh was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia in 2016 of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. As a previously convicted felon, Jalloh could not legally purchase or possess firearms or ammunition.

In addition, according to court documents, in 2021, Chapman allegedly purchased three firearms that were recovered from crime scenes shortly afterward. Two were recovered from the scene of a homicide and another recovered from a drunk in public incident.

If convicted, Chapman faces up to 35 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division are investigating this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke Bresnahan and Rebecca Gantt are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-mj-74.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

NORFOLK, Va. – A former Navy service member and Navy reservist was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison and $128,844 in restitution for wire fraud relating to a fraudulent loan received through a pandemic-era relief program.

According to court documents, on June 26, 2020, Tiara Jenee Bryant, then known as Tiara Washington, 36, incorporated the company Jovialistic-Spaces, LLC. On June 29, 2020, Bryant opened a business checking account in the name of the company, listing herself as the member and manager. On July 6, 2020, Bryant applied to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for a loan under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, intended to enable small businesses to meet financial obligations and operating expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bryant fraudulently stated on the application that the alleged maid and cleaning service consisted of 11 employees and had gross revenues in 2019 of $250,000. There was no record of her alleged business prior to June of 2020.

On July 23, 2020, the SBA funded Bryant’s EIDL application for $115,000 and transferred the funds, minus a filing fee, to the Jovialistic-Spaces business checking account. On Aug. 28, 2020, Bryant wrote a check from the Jovialistic-Spaces business checking account for $119,395.03, made out to “cash,” and on Aug. 31, 2020, transferred the remaining money in the account to her credit union checking account, leaving a zero balance.

On Feb. 17, 2022, Bryant applied to the SBA for loan modification requesting the principal amount of the loan to be increased to $428,600. This application was declined by the SBA and flagged for suspected EIDL fraud. After being denied the loan modification, Bryant requested relief due to “financial hardship”, which was also subsequently denied.

As of Mar. 5, 2026, the total amount owed, including principal and accrued interest, was $128,844.56.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office investigated the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-119.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, on Jan. 15, 2023, Skylar James Duvall, 24, used a screen recording application that allowed him to create videos of what he was viewing on his computer screen to record a live streaming of a minor being sexually abused by her guardian. As the live stream was being recorded, Duvall chatted with the guardian to arrange a determined amount of time and payment to the guardian for certain sex acts to be committed against the victim.

Investigators found additional CSAM on Duvall’s electronic devices, including over 500 images and 700 videos of CSAM and thousands of files of potential CSAM and CGI/animated child exploitive videos and images.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and the Hampton Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Devon E.A. Heath prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-25.

CASE NAME: United States v. E’mon Ambers, et al., Crim. No. 3:26-cr-24; United States v. T’Aisya Squire, Crim. No. 3:26-cr-11

COURT: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division

CASE SUMMARY: In January and February 2026, charges were filed against four defendants who allegedly operated a scheme to defraud Medicaid through a mental health agency known as Divine Youth Counseling, LLC.

On February 17, 2026, defendants E’mon Ambers, Armone’ Ambers, and TraQuan Brown were charged in a 12-count criminal indictment in Criminal Case No. 3:26-cr-24. Count One of the indictment charges the three defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; Counts Two through Four charge health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347; Counts Five through Seven charge aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A; Counts Eight and Nine charge payment of illegal kickbacks, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B); Counts Ten through Twelve charge transactional money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.

On Jan. 22, 2026, defendant T’Aisya Squire was charged in a single-count criminal information in Criminal Case No. 3:26-cr-11 with making false statements relating to health care matters, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1035(a)(2).

E’mon Ambers, Armone’ Ambers, Brown, and Squire each worked at Divine Youth and allegedly participated in the same scheme. According to court documents, between January 2022 and October 2025, Divine Youth submitted more than $11 million in fraudulent claims to Medicaid for mental health services known as Crisis Stabilization and Mobile Crisis. The scheme had two primary components.

The coconspirators allegedly falsely claimed that two mental health professionals simultaneously provided services to Medicaid recipients, when in truth, at most a single mental health professional was present for the service. The false claims that two professionals provided “Team Treatment” services caused millions of dollars of loss to Medicaid.

The coconspirators allegedly paid more than $470,000 in illegal kickbacks in the form of purchasing hotel rooms for Medicaid recipients. The coconspirators allegedly used the hotel rooms to incentivize recipients to obtain Medicaid services from Divine Youth, a practice the coconspirators knew and understood was wrong and unlawful.

Additional aspects of the scheme are set forth in the charging documents.

CASE STATUS: In United States v. E’mon Ambers, et al., Crim. No. 3:26-cr-24, the case is currently scheduled for a jury trial to begin on May 4, 2026. In United States v. T’Aisya Squire, Crim. No. 3:26-cr-11, Squire is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on March 16, 2026.

VICTIM RESPONSE: To ensure that members of the public, including potential victims of the alleged fraud scheme perpetrated through Divine Youth, are informed of developments in this ongoing case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has established a page on its website, available at the following link:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/united-states-v-emon-ambers-et-al-crim-no-326-cr-24-united-states-v-taisya-squire-crim-no

The website currently includes a copy of the indictment and other pleadings filed in the cases.  Victims with questions can call 1-866-DOJ-4YOU (1-866-365-4968) (TDD/TTY:1-866-228-4619; International 1-502-213-2767) and reference the above case names and docket numbers.  Victim impact statements can be emailed to EDVA Victim Witness, or mailed to:

U.S. Attorney’s Office
Attn: Victim Witness
919 E Main St, Suite 1900
Richmond, VA  23219

Contact

Victim/Witness Coordinator
United States Attorney’s Office
919 E Main St, Suite 1900
Richmond, VA  23219
(804)-819-7429
Sarah.Lesniewski@usdoj.gov

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man was sentenced today to life in prison for sexual exploitation of children after prior convictions, coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) after prior convictions, possession of CSAM after prior convictions, and commission of sexual exploitation of children offenses while a registered sex offender.

According to court documents, Nicholas Wayne Hanlon, 40, pled guilty on Nov. 5, 2013, in the District of Columbia, to two counts of receipt of CSAM and one count of travel with the intent to engage in sexually illicit conduct after he attempted to meet with a purported 12-year-old girl for sex. Hanlon was sentenced to eight years in prison and 10 years of supervised release and was required to register as a sex offender. His term of supervised release began on Feb. 14, 2020.

From November 2020 through July 2024, Hanlon used SnapChat and Instagram to engage in sexually explicit conversations with and request and receive CSAM from at least seven minors across multiple states. Throughout his conversations with the minor victims, Hanlon requested, at times on a near daily basis, that they send him videos and photographs of themselves engaged in sexually explicit activity. Hanlon mapped out where many of the minors lived, looking up driving directions in several instances. Hanlon told multiple victims that he was a teenager.

Investigators found approximately 150 child pornography images and 20 child pornography videos depicting Hanlon’s victims on his cellphone and numerous additional videos and images in his SnapChat and Instagram accounts.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys April N. Russo and Vanessa K. Strobbe, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-151.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Reston man was sentenced today to two years and four months in prison for sending threats online to kill the President.

According to court documents, between Feb. 15, 2025, and May 15, 2025, Valeriy Kouznetsov, 41, made multiple threats toward the President of the United States, his family, and other government officials. Kouznetsov posted these threats on X (formerly Twitter), some of which he sent directly to the X accounts belonging to the President and other officials. For example, on March 28, 2025, Kouznetsov posted a message threatening the President with a “7/13 secret service repeat Philadelphia,” a reference to the July 13, 2024, attempted assassination of President Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. On April 17, 2025, Kouznetsov threatened, “you are a hopeless and helpless American (expletive) I will murder all of you filthy rats.” Two days later, he publicly posted “I murder all of you including (the President).”

Kouznetsov has a history of threatening the life of the President. In July 2020, Kouznetsov approached the Trump International Hotel in Washington, climbed over the bike rack fencing, and attempted to enter the facility. When he encountered hotel staff, Kouznetsov threatened to harm hotel employees and stab the President. Kouznetsov was arrested, convicted of threatening to kill or injure the President, and sentenced to two years and three months in prison and a three-year term of supervised release. On April 5, 2023, Kouznetsov was arrested on a supervised release violation after he entered the area around the White House. His supervised release was revoked, and he was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.

The U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-271.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Water View man was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for conspiring to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.

According to court documents, after retiring as a Navy Chief Petty Officer, Cory Richard Hambley, 43, worked as a program analyst for the Missile Defense Agency, where he held a Top Secret security clearance. In November 2022, Hambley, who was married, contacted his former girlfriend, Grace Elizabeth Paradis, 43, of Virginia Beach. Hambley repeatedly encouraged Paradis to provide CSAM depicting Paradis abusing two minor children, ages five and nine.

Knowing that Paradis was struggling to pay her rent, Hambley leveraged Paradis’ financial situation as well as Paradis’ interest in a relationship with Hambley to induce her to provide CSAM. Hambley provided Paradis with a camera to be hidden and used to surreptitiously record images of the children, including Paradis sexually abusing them. In March 2023, Hambley transferred nearly $4,000 to Paradis with the expectation that she would produce and provide CSAM. Paradis recorded the children’s abuse and provided the resultant CSAM to Hambley. Hambley also provided Paradis access to a Google Drive folder to facilitate her provision of CSAM to him.

During this time, Hambley was married to “CH.” Before they were married, CH introduced Hambley to a minor child. Afterward, Hambley, CH, and the child lived together. On Hambley’s electronic devices, investigators found CSAM files depicting the child that were created without the child’s knowledge. Investigators also found images of two adult victims, with whom Hambley had served in the U.S. Navy, that Hambley created without their knowledge.

Hambley also collected and shared other CSAM on the Internet. Investigators identified an additional 1,155 images and 142 videos of CSAM on Hambley's electronic devices.

Paradis pled guilty on Oct. 23, 2025, to conspiring to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM). She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison.

The Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk office investigated this case with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Virginia Beach Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Marek prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-44.

This release was revised on March 18, 2026, to more accurately reflect the defendant's position at the Missile Defense Agency.

RICHMOND, Va. – Seven Allied Crawford corporations who are wholesale steel distributors incorporated in seven separate states, including Virginia (Allied Companies), have agreed to pay $3,316,973.98 to settle civil False Claims Act (FCA) allegations arising from the submission of statements on their applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, specifically, that each of the Allied Companies falsely certified it was eligible to receive the loans.

The United States alleged that the Allied Companies received PPP loans of more than $2.7 million, which later were forgiven, after submitting statements on loan applications falsely certifying eligibility, and again on applications for forgiveness of the loans between February 2021 and October 2021.

The settlement began with a lawsuit, United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Allied Crawford (Petersburg), Inc., filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims presented to the federal government and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The whistleblower will receive a ten-percent share of the settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McIntosh.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 3:25-cv-200.

The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesterfield man was sentenced yesterday to seven years and eight months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on July 19, 2024, Chesterfield County Police (CCPD) officers observed Hunter Brandon Orlowski, 34, who had multiple pending arrest warrants, leave a residence with a tan backpack on his shoulder. Officers blocked the driveway before Orlowski could get on a motorcycle and flee. The backpack contained a loaded pistol, 67 rounds of ammunition, 72 needles, a digital scale, a knife, 11 suboxone packets, 9.59 grams of cocaine and fentanyl, oxycodone, 2.08 grams of marijuana, four morphine tablets, 45 amphetamine tablets, 107 Xanax tablets, and 118.49 grams of methamphetamine.

Orlowski was convicted in 2013 of possession of a controlled substance, in 2014 of distributing a controlled substance and of possessing ammunition as a convicted felon, in 2017 of possession of a controlled substance, in 2020 of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance, in 2024 of receipt of stolen goods and eluding police, and in 2025 of conspiracy by a prisoner to possess marijuana or a schedule III controlled substance.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and CCPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen H. Theisen prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-177.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Ghanaian national was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to court documents, from no later than March 2022 until at least July 2022, Emmanuel Gyasi, 29, and his co-conspirators ran a “romance scam” to induce a victim to send money by wire transfers. The conspirators created a fictitious profile on an online dating platform under the name “Jessica Morris” and used the profile to connect and begin a romantic relationship with the victim. The conspirators, pretending to be Morris, told the victim that Morris” had inherited gold bars worth $12 million and that Morris needed money to pay for various fees related to the sale of the gold bars.

The conspirators then introduced the victim to a second fictitious persona, “Steven Baggett,” who was supposedly Morris’ lawyer. The conspirators promised that, if the victim would lend money to pay for the fees related to the sale of the gold bars, Morris would repay the victim with interest.

Gyasi opened and controlled a bank account to which the conspirators directed the victim to transfer the money. Based on the conspirators’ false promises, the victim sent a total of approximately $1.1 million. Though the victim was able to recall some of the transferred funds, Gyasi and his co-conspirators received over $750,000.00 from the victim.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-280.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to 21 years and five months in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.

According to court documents, beginning in at least December 2020, Jorge Ariel Pereira, aka Jae Luca or Kevin Aguirre, 30, was a redistributor of narcotics including marijuana, fentanyl pills, and cocaine. The fentanyl pills were often blue and imprinted “30” to resemble legitimate 30 milligram oxycodone pills. Beginning in at least November 2021, Pereira conspired to sell fentanyl pills and other narcotics with Justice Ansah, 30, of Manassas, and Salvador Paredes Vasquez.

Ansah operated a stash house in Woodbridge. Ansah would often purchase narcotics, including fentanyl pills, from suppliers outside the local area and receive them by mail at addresses provided by Pereira. In December 2021, Pereira received approximately 20,000 fentanyl pills from Ansah to hold while Ansah moved narcotics to other locations. On Dec. 14, 2021, Ansah and Paredes were arrested, and law enforcement found approximately 70,000 fentanyl pills in the stash house and Ansah’s residence as well as 30,000 fentanyl pills en route to Paredes’ address.

After the arrests of Ansah and Paredes, Pereira continued to sell marijuana, fentanyl pills, and cocaine with new co-conspirators. Pereira distributed fentanyl pills and cocaine to Fernando Alexis Orellana Banegas, 25, of Woodbridge, and Dan Benedict Galvez, 25, of Manassas. Pereira used fraudulent identification cards to purchase or rent property, including residences and vehicles, used in his criminal activities. On Jan. 2, 2025, law enforcement arrested Pereira and searched his residence, recovering 608.03 grams of cocaine, a loaded handgun, and fraudulent identification cards used by Pereira. Pereira has previous convictions for, among other crimes, grand larceny, brandishing a firearm, and obtaining money by false pretenses. As a convicted felon, Pereira cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

On June 7, 2022, Ansah pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On Sept. 14, 2022, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

On July 6, 2022, Vasquez was charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is currently a fugitive.

On May 8, 2024, Orellana Banegas pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking. On Oct. 31, 2024, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

On Aug. 20, 2025, Galvez pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On Dec. 11, 2025, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, Virginia State Police, and Prince William County Police Department. Additional assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher M. Carter and Edgardo J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-208.

This release was revised on March 9, 2026, to properly credit the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA Task Force.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, on March 31, 2015, David Christopher Schaefer, 38, was convicted of possession of CSAM and was sentenced to over eight years in prison and a life term of supervised release. Among the conditions of supervision were a restriction to use only computers or cellular devices approved by the Probation Office. Schaefer was allowed to have a flip phone without access to the Internet and a laptop computer with installed monitoring.

Law enforcement notified Schaefer’s probation officer that Schaefer was issued a summons on March 21, 2025, in the City of Newport News for texting and driving. Probation officers searched Schaefer’s residence and located six unauthorized Internet-capable devices and three unreported storage drives. Among these were three smartphones, which Schaefer admitted to using to access, view, download, and exchange CSAM. On one of the phones, investigators found hundreds of images and videos of CSAM. Schaefer was attributed with over 25,000 CSAM images.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa R. McKeel prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-51.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on July 10, 2024, a Richmond Police officer responded to a call reporting a subject who matched the description of a robbery suspect from earlier in the day. The officer arrived on the scene and called out to Waheed Richardson, 23, who fled on foot. During the pursuit, Richardson discarded a handgun and loaded firearm magazine, then laid down on the ground. The officer detained Richardson, who was still in possession of another loaded magazine and a baggie with counterfeit oxycodone "M-30" pills containing fentanyl. The officer then recovered the handgun and magazine Richardson had possessed. The handgun was equipped with a machinegun conversion device, rendering it capable of automatic fire and considered a machinegun.

In 2021, Richardson was convicted of malicious wounding and discharging a firearm from a vehicle. Richardson was released from prison on Feb. 12, 2024, five months before being arrested for the offense for which he was sentenced today. As a previously convicted felon, Richardson cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Richmond Police Department investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. McGorman prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-146.